Alternative name for the Redskins

Soon after their Super Bowl victory in 1992, Native Americans started writing letters to owner Jack Kent Cooke encouraging him to change the name. Others boycotted Redskins products and protested. At one protest "Native Americans handed the fans redskin potatoes as they entered a Redskins game, suggesting that if the team will not change their name altogether, then they should at least change their mascot to the potato." Many of these events were led by Suzan Shown Harjo of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke responded to these pleas in an interview stating "There's not a single, solitary jot, tittle, whit chance in the world that the Redskins will adopt a new nickname."

There was a large protest at the 1992 Super Bowl between the Redskins and the Buffalo Bills. Since the game was held in Minnesota, the area's large Native American population was able to voice their anger over the name. The American Indian Movement's (AIM) Vernon Bellecourt was one of the main organizers and voices of the event. Before and during the game, approximately 2,000 Chippewa, Sioux, Winnebago, and Choctaw, and other Native Americans and members of the local population protested. Some of the signs they carried read "We are not Mascots", "Promote Sports not Racism", and "Repeal Redskin Racism".

Answer the challenge of Ray Halbritter of the Oneida Nation. Go to his house, look at his grandchildren and say, "My goodness these are some cute little Redskins." If it is really a name of honor, you will make the trip and say it to the Halbritters. If you won't, then you are completely full of it.

This would be awesome. The old owner said it, and I really think Snyder would do it to. Theyd still be the Washington Redskins, but with the loophole of a potato logo on the helmet.

I think anyone whos offended by the name is being WAY oversensitive. Native Americans get SO many breaks because of their heritage. If you want to take advantage of reaping the benefits you never suffered for in the past, go ahead and shrug off a historic sports franchise who still has a politically incorrect name.

Nothing about their team does anything but honor Native Americans. Its meant out of respect, not racism. A supposed racist original owner wouldnt have named his team after something he hated. It makes no sense. If they had the Cleveland Indians logo combined with the name, I could see more of an outcry, but they dont.

People are WAY too darn sensitive today. Everyone gets their feelings hurt over everything. Especially all the non-Native Americans who feel the need to get outraged on their behalf.

This. And wasn't the name given to them because of some Native American tribe that use to put red paint on their face? If that's the case then the origination of the name is not derogatory because it was based off of a tribe putting red paint on their face, not the color of their skin. It would be like if they had painted their faces green, then would they be the greenskins? and that wouldn't be offensive would it?

I'm not trying to be insensitive, and I'm normally one of the most thoughtful people in a room but I don't see how the term 'redskin' is a racial slur. When I hear it, I think of it as calling a white guy white... I mean should white people rally for almost being referred to as "white" 99% of the time and not something directly relating back to their roots? As a black man I take no offense to being called black, though my skin is brown and I would prefer to be called brown.

Great now "The Browns" is offensive too.

But seriously, consider if someone wanted to name a team "The Blacks" with a picture of a brother as the logo. and it was a white dude that owned the team.

"Black" isnt a derogatory term. Bad example. The Indians, Chiefs, Braves, Blackhawks, etc. all represent that. "Redskin" was considered derogatory slang, although its not really hateful.

Originally posted by 24plus25er:
I'm not trying to be insensitive, and I'm normally one of the most thoughtful people in a room but I don't see how the term 'redskin' is a racial slur. When I hear it, I think of it as calling a white guy white... I mean should white people rally for almost being referred to as "white" 99% of the time and not something directly relating back to their roots? As a black man I take no offense to being called black, though my skin is brown and I would prefer to be called brown.

Great now "The Browns" is offensive too.

But seriously, consider if someone wanted to name a team "The Blacks" with a picture of a brother as the logo. and it was a white dude that owned the team.

"Black" isnt a derogatory term. Bad example. The Indians, Chiefs, Braves, Blackhawks, etc. all represent that. "Redskin" was considered derogatory slang, although its not really hateful.

and my point is that even with it being among the least offensive terms, making it a team mascot would still be pretty damn offensive.

I'm not trying to be insensitive, and I'm normally one of the most thoughtful people in a room but I don't see how the term 'redskin' is a racial slur. When I hear it, I think of it as calling a white guy white... I mean should white people rally for almost being referred to as "white" 99% of the time and not something directly relating back to their roots? As a black man I take no offense to being called black, though my skin is brown and I would prefer to be called brown.

Great now "The Browns" is offensive too.

But seriously, consider if someone wanted to name a team "The Blacks" with a picture of a brother as the logo. and it was a white dude that owned the team.

"Black" isnt a derogatory term. Bad example. The Indians, Chiefs, Braves, Blackhawks, etc. all represent that. "Redskin" was considered derogatory slang, although its not really hateful.

and my point is that even with it being among the least offensive terms, making it a team mascot would still be pretty damn offensive.

It wouldnt make sense to name a team after black people though. The reason teams are named after Native Americans is to honor the history of the country. 26 of the 50 States are names after Native Americans. Its not about race at all, its about history.

The name "Redskins" isnt causing any harm. Its an outdated term, but its historic, not malicious. It hurts nobody, and anyone offended by it, native or not, is way too sensitive and narcissistic.

Originally posted by Niners99:
It wouldnt make sense to name a team after black people though. The reason teams are named after Native Americans is to honor the history of the country. 26 of the 50 States are names after Native Americans. Its not about race at all, its about history.

The name "Redskins" isnt causing any harm. Its an outdated term, but its historic, not malicious. It hurts nobody, and anyone offended by it, native or not, is way too sensitive and narcissistic.

I see your point, and I do believe that there is a line that constitutes oversensitivity...however I would hesitate to dictate to others what constitutes "offensive." I also don't think Snyder should be forced to change the name.

I think the important thing to note is that Redskin is a very outdated term and their currently isnt any malice behind it. In fact, when I hear redskin, native americans dont even come to mind... I think of Joe Theismann, Art Monk, John Riggins etc. I just dont see what the big deal is... I dont think its fair to compare redskin to f*ggot or n****r

A friend posted on his fb page that there should definitely be a name change. Including Washington, referring to the center of our government, is an insult to all Americans. Whatever nickname they want but quit reminding us of the clowns in Congress while we are talking football.

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